About us
Innovation Legal was founded in 2020 by Advocates HB Marais SC, Shawn Meyer and Charleen de la Hunt. Between them they have 69 years of experience in advocacy, litigation and alternative dispute resolution.
Recognising that a rapidly changing society demands a transformation of the legal industry in its current form; and rather than limiting the rendering of advocacy services by continuing to practice within the confines of the Society of Advocates, they set out to establish an independent legal entity capable of offering legal services of significant breadth and depth.
The result is Innovation Legal, a collection of advocates and legal experts, including senior counsel, past acting judges, legal academic scholars and specialists in every major area of the law.
Due to its interdisciplinary expertise and inventive approach, Innovation Legal is able to streamline the process of consultancy, thereby contributing to the saving of time and money by its clients.
At Innovation Legal we are committed to provide legal services that are diverse, accessible and of exceptional quality.
Advocate HB Marais SC
Focus areas: General practice, excluding criminal and labour law
Qualifications: B.Com LL.B (RAU) Awarded Silk in 2009
HB Marais is an advocate and founding member of Innovation Legal. He has practised as an advocate at the Johannesburg Bar since 1982 in wide ranging fields of law. He has often acted as a judge and sat as an arbitrator. Moreover, he has appeared pro bono in a number of public interest matters.
He is of the view that, by reason of a combination of the benefit of technological advances and the restrictions brought about by the covid pandemic, the manner in which law is practised has and will continue to evolve rapidly – this is the time for innovation, he shouts!
He accepts the role as one of the leaders and co-ordinators, who are to ensure a well-balanced collection of like minded practitioners, who, in turn, would be able to outmanoeuvre the field in the best interest of their clients, their attorneys and themselves, alike.
Advocate Shawn Meyer
Focus areas: Medical Negligence, Personal Injury, Corporate Governance, Training of experts for ethical CPD points, Practice Management as a Consultant
Qualifications: BProc (RAU), LLB (UJ), Mediation Certificate in Medical Negligence (UCT, through MiM)
Shawn Meyer is an Advocate and trained medical negligence mediator. He was selected for the advanced advocacy training program in 2017. His work ethic is grounded in fairness and equality, and getting the best possible and ethical outcome for a client.
He has acted for both plaintiff and defendant firms, although most of his work was for defendants, defending companies and acting for the insured.
Before the formation of Innovation Legal, Shawn had a senior position in the litigation department of a Government institution. Prior to that, he was a senior litigation attorney specialising in all injury claims at a defendant law firm.
Shawn’s opinion is that the legal sector is moving away from the adversarial basis to a more inclusive and hospitable, friendly solution-driven basis. Mediation and arbitration will largely displace litigation, with mediation being more widely used than arbitration.
As a Director of Innovation Legal, Shawn is committed to delivering exception and innovative legal counsel to his clients.
Advocate Charleen de la Hunt
Focus areas: General practice, including Arbitration, Civil Litigation, Commercial Law, Company and Insolvency Law. Outdoor Advertising. Labour Law. Drafting expert
Qualifications: LL.B University of Johannesburg
Charleen de la Hunt started practicing as Advocate at the Johannesburg Bar in 2008. She is a co-founder of Innovation Legal. She firmly believes that the practice of Law, when done effectively, is as much an art as a skill.
She does not believe that the legal sector is necessarily evolving; but rather that those who needed the Law in the past, but were denied it, are finally given access to the Law. She feels that the Law is meant to serve and exist for the people; not the people for the Law, and she wants to help breach that gap.
Charleen believes Innovation Legal was created because too many rules stifled innovation. They strive to minimize the boundaries that prevent or limit access to legal assistance and services.
Their aim is not merely to assist and/or resolve a client’s legal predicament, it is also to educate those in need to be prepared for future legal battles of the same nature. Innovation Legal will meet those who need their assistance halfway, as opposed to expecting them to make the entire journey by themselves.
Advocate HB Marais SC
Focus areas: General practice, excluding criminal and labour law
Qualifications: B.Com LL.B (RAU) Awarded Silk in 2009
HB Marais is an advocate and founding member of Innovation Legal. He has practised as an advocate at the Johannesburg Bar since 1982 in wide ranging fields of law. He has often acted as a judge and sat as an arbitrator. Moreover, he has appeared pro bono in a number of public interest matters.
He is of the view that, by reason of a combination of the benefit of technological advances and the restrictions brought about by the covid pandemic, the manner in which law is practised has and will continue to evolve rapidly – this is the time for innovation, he shouts!
He accepts the role as one of the leaders and co-ordinators, who are to ensure a well-balanced collection of like minded practitioners, who, in turn, would be able to outmanoeuvre the field in the best interest of their clients, their attorneys and themselves, alike.
Advocate Shawn Meyer
Focus areas: Medical Negligence, Personal Injury, Corporate Governance, Training of experts for ethical CPD points, Practice Management as a Consultant
Qualifications: BProc (RAU), LLB (UJ), Mediation Certificate in Medical Negligence (UCT, through MiM)
Shawn Meyer is an Advocate and trained medical negligence mediator. He was selected for the advanced advocacy training program in 2017. His work ethic is grounded in fairness and equality, and getting the best possible and ethical outcome for a client.
He has acted for both plaintiff and defendant firms, although most of his work was for defendants, defending companies and acting for the insured.
Before the formation of Innovation Legal, Shawn had a senior position in the litigation department of a Government institution. Prior to that, he was a senior litigation attorney specialising in all injury claims at a defendant law firm.
Shawn’s opinion is that the legal sector is moving away from the adversarial basis to a more inclusive and hospitable, friendly solution-driven basis. Mediation and arbitration will largely displace litigation, with mediation being more widely used than arbitration.
As a Director of Innovation Legal, Shawn is committed to delivering exception and innovative legal counsel to his clients.
Advocate Charleen de la Hunt
Focus areas: General practice, including Arbitration, Civil Litigation, Commercial Law, Company and Insolvency Law. Outdoor Advertising. Labour Law. Drafting expert
Qualifications: LL.B University of Johannesburg
Charleen de la Hunt started practicing as Advocate at the Johannesburg Bar in 2008. She is a co-founder of Innovation Legal. She firmly believes that the practice of Law, when done effectively, is as much an art as a skill.
She does not believe that the legal sector is necessarily evolving; but rather that those who needed the Law in the past, but were denied it, are finally given access to the Law. She feels that the Law is meant to serve and exist for the people; not the people for the Law, and she wants to help breach that gap.
Charleen believes Innovation Legal was created because too many rules stifled innovation. They strive to minimize the boundaries that prevent or limit access to legal assistance and services.
Their aim is not merely to assist and/or resolve a client’s legal predicament, it is also to educate those in need to be prepared for future legal battles of the same nature. Innovation Legal will meet those who need their assistance halfway, as opposed to expecting them to make the entire journey by themselves.
